Official SWiSHmax Bible

by Baker, Donna L.

ISBN13: 9780764575631

ISBN10: 0764575635

Format: Paperback

Pub. Date: 2004-12-03

Publisher(s): Wiley

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Summary

Developed and comarketed with SWiSHzone.com, this first-ever SWiSHmax book is packed with tips, techniques, and secrets from the world's top SWiSHmax users SWiSHmax offers an easy, intuitive interface that lets Web designers create cool Flash movies, effects, and even games-without learning Flash or ActionScript SWiSHmax is the premier product of SWiSHzone.com, which reports 500,000 unique visitors a month, 3 million downloads, and 200,000 registered users A companion Web site is packed with examples and templates from the book, exclusive SWiSH content, and a tryout version of SWiSHmax

Author Biography

Donna L. Baker is an author, graphic designer, and instructor who has trained Macromedia Flash users in both conference and classroom settings. She has been a writer and contributing editor for an online magazine since 1998, writing 10 to 11 graphics articles per year. Her articles have included three Flash series, covering V 3 through MX, as well as pieces on other animation software such as Adobe Live Motion.
She is the author of CourseBuilder for Dreamweaver f/x and Design (The Coriolis Group, 2001), Acrobat 5: The Professional User’s Guide (Apress, 2002), How to Use After Effects 5.5 (Que, 2002), Acrobat 6: The Professional User’s Guide (Apress, 2003), The 100 Best Acrobat 6 Tips & Tricks (Peachpit, 2003), Premiere 6.5 Complete Course (Wiley, 2003), Premiere Pro Complete Course (Wiley, 2003), and HTML Complete Course (Wiley, 2003). She is the coauthor of Jan Kabili’s Photoshop cs Complete Course (Wiley, 2004).
She has been working on the Internet since its very early days, building her first Web site in 1993. More information about and demos of motion graphics and video are available on her Web site at www.donnabaker.ca.

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

xiii

Part I: Getting Started with SWiSHmax

(72)

SWiSHmax QuickStart

(22)

What Does SWiSHmax Do?

(1)

Working with an Animation Program

(1)

Your First SWiSHmax Movie

(10)

Starting a SWiSHmax project

(1)

Importing elements

(3)

Creating objects

(2)

Adding text to a movie

(2)

Aligning objects with one another

(1)

Applying Effects to the Movie Layers

(6)

Using a flying effect

(1)

Fading the background

(3)

Adding text animation

(1)

Previewing and Exporting a Movie

(2)

Summary

(2)

Welcome to SWiSHmax

(22)

Menus

(7)

The File menu

(1)

The Edit menu

(1)

The View menu

(1)

The Insert menu

(1)

The Modify menu

(1)

The Control menu

(1)

The Tools menu

(1)

The Panels menu

(1)

The Help menu

(1)

Different Ways to Access Commands

(1)

Working with Toolbars

(1)

Understanding the Timeline

(3)

Viewing and Managing your Movie's Elements

(4)

The Outline panel

(1)

The Layout panel

(2)

The grouped panels

(2)

Customizing the Toolbars

(1)

Customizing Accelerator Keys

(1)

Customizing Menus

(1)

The Help Files

(1)

Summary

(2)

Starting a New Movie Project

(26)

Why are you Building a Movie?

(3)

Defining a purpose for your project

(2)

Defining an audience for your movie

(1)

Technical considerations

(1)

Making Design Choices

(1)

Translating Your Designs

(3)

Organizational chart

(1)

Process flowchart

(1)

Content object description

(2)

Storyboarding

(1)

Pre-Start Checklist

(3)

Reusing material

(2)

Assembling the content

(1)

Renaming files

(1)

Configuring content for compliance

(1)

Importing and building graphics

(1)

Starting a SWiSHmax Movie

(4)

Starting a new empty movie

(1)

Starting a new movie from a template

(1)

Work on an existing movie

(1)

Work on the last movie you opened

(1)

Controlling how the program starts

(1)

Saving your Movie Project Files

(3)

Choosing Movie Options

(7)

Background color

(1)

Movie size

(2)

Screen resolutions

(2)

Frame rate

(1)

Stopping movie playback

(1)

Summary

(2)

Part II: The Basic SWiSHmax Building Blocks

(178)

Viewing a Movie's Content

(18)

Understanding Time and Space

(1)

Working with the Outline Panel

(6)

Using the Outline panel's hierarchy

(2)

Object order in the Outline panel

(2)

Working with the Timeline

(4)

Moving between scenes

(1)

Changing Timelines within a scene

(1)

Defining when an object plays in a movie

(2)

Working with the Content panel

(6)

Cleaning up a project

(1)

Showing object properties

(1)

Replacing an object

(1)

Summary

(1)

Drawing in SWiSHmax

(22)

The SWiSHmax Toolbox

(12)

Understanding shapes

(1)

Drawing basic shapes

(2)

Using AutoShapes

(1)

Reshaping AutoShapes

(4)

Drawing Free-form shapes

102

(3)

Changing how you View a Drawing on the Stage

105

(2)

Pan tool

105

(1)

Zoom tool

105

(1)

View tools

106

(1)

Using Guides and Grids

107

(5)

Displaying guides

108

(1)

Modifying guides

109

(1)

Working with grid lines

110

(1)

Adjusting snap options

111

(1)

Summary

112

(3)

Modifying Basic Shapes

115

(26)

Manipulating a Shape's Path

115

(10)

Modifying a shape using the adjustment handles

115

(3)

Understanding vertex types

118

(2)

Changing the number and locations of vertices

120

(1)

Changing the characteristics of a line segment

121

(1)

Slicing an object

122

(2)

Slicing a shape into two pieces

124

(1)

Controlling the Position of Objects

125

(3)

Redefining anchor points

126

(2)

Moving an object numerically

128

(1)

The Transformation Tools

128

(7)

Using the Scale and Resize tools

129

(2)

Using the Rotate/Skew tool

131

(4)

Using the Distort tool

135

(1)

Organizing Objects on the Layout Panel

135

(4)

Align tools

136

(1)

Choosing relativity

137

(2)

Sizing objects using Align commands

139

(1)

Grouping Shapes

139

(1)

Summary

140

(1)

Choosing and Using Color

141

(26)

Understanding Color

141

(3)

RGB color

141

(1)

RGBA color

142

(2)

Using hexadecimal color values

144

(1)

Using the SWiSHmax Color Selector

144

(9)

Using the program's color samples

145

(2)

Creating a custom color

147

(1)

Forcing Web-safe color

147

(1)

Sampling color from your scene

148

(1)

Saving color for a project

149

(1)

Choosing system colors for your movie

149

(2)

Assigning transparency to a color

151

(1)

Transparency settings in the Color dialog box

152

(1)

Adding Strokes to Objects

153

(3)

Filling Objects

156

(5)

Using a solid color or no fill for an object

156

(1)

Applying gradient fills

157

(4)

Transforming Fills Visually

161

(4)

Transforming a gradient fill

162

(1)

Resizing a fill

163

(1)

Moving a gradient fill

164

(1)

Rotating or skewing a gradient fill

164

(1)

Summary

165

(2)

Working with Images

167

(24)

Choosing Image Types for a Project

167

(2)

Image Formats

169

(2)

Optimizing Raster Graphics

171

(1)

Preparing Vector Graphics

172

(1)

Importing Raster Images

173

(1)

Importing Vector Images

174

(1)

Reshaping Images

175

(1)

Using an Image as a Background

175

(2)

Working with Raster Image Properties

177

(5)

Modifying an image's physical size and orientation

177

(1)

Modifying a raster image's appearance

178

(4)

Working with Image Fills

182

(3)

Naming objects that use image fills

183

(1)

Changing an image fill's properties

184

(1)

Resetting an Image Fill

185

(2)

Resetting a tiled image fill

185

(1)

Resetting a clipped image fill

186

(1)

Transforming an Image Fill

187

(2)

Summary

189

(2)

Using Animations and Flash Movies in SWiSHmax

191

(24)

Importing Animated GIF Files

191

(4)

Choosing an importing option

192

(2)

Understanding frame information and settings

194

(1)

Importing SWF Animations

195

(5)

Importing a movie as an animated sprite

196

(1)

Importing a movie as a scene

197

(1)

Importing a single frame

198

(2)

Converting SWF Information

200

(10)

Importing movies with color changes

200

(1)

Importing movies containing scenes

201

(1)

Importing movies using scripts

202

(3)

Importing complex frames

205

(3)

Importing masked animations

208

(2)

Importing SWiSHmax Project Files

210

(2)

Using Flash Projector (*.exe) files

212

(1)

Summary

213

(2)

Working with Text

215

(22)

Adding Text

215

(2)

Choosing Basic Text Settings

217

(4)

Selecting a font type

219

(1)

Using system fonts

220

(1)

Using special characters

220

(1)

Viewing text formatting in SWiSHmax

221

(1)

Modifying a Text Object's Dimensions

221

(4)

Justifying text

224

(1)

Choosing a text direction

225

(1)

Formatting Text

225

(2)

Adjusting kerning

225

(1)

Adjusting leading

226

(1)

Choosing Advanced Options

227

(1)

Setting Button Options

227

(1)

Additional Options for Dynamic or Input Text

228

(4)

Embedding text characters

229

(1)

Setting height and lines

230

(1)

Formatting dynamic and input text

230

(1)

Advanced dynamic and input text options

231

(1)

Transforming Text

232

(1)

Modifying a Text Object

232

(4)

Grouping text

233

(1)

Breaking text into letters

233

(1)

Changing text into a shape

234

(1)

Breaking text into multiple shapes

235

(1)

Summary

236

(1)

Adding Sound

237

(14)

Understanding Audio Characteristics

237

(1)

Sound Formats

238

(1)

Using WAV audio files

238

(1)

About MP3 encoding

238

(1)

Using the LAME encoder

239

(1)

Importing Sound into SWiSHmax

239

(3)

Importing a sound file as an action

239

(1)

Importing a soundtrack file

240

(1)

Importing a sound file for later use

241

(1)

Selecting an encoder

242

(1)

Listening to Sound Files

242

(1)

Working with Sound Files

243

(3)

Modifying a sound file

244

(1)

Choosing sound file properties

244

(2)

Using Sound Effects

246

(3)

Summary

249

(2)

Part III: Animating Your Movie

251

(70)

Introducing Movie Effects

253

(16)

Understanding Effects

253

(2)

Creating Complex Objects

255

(2)

Grouping as a group

255

(1)

Breaking into pieces

256

(1)

Adding an Effect to Your Movie

257

(1)

Adjusting Effects

258

(1)

Working with the Place Effects

259

(8)

Using keyframes

261

(1)

Using the Move effect

262

(5)

Summary

267

(2)

Using Basic and Authored Effects

269

(32)

Common Effect Settings

269

(2)

Effects Preferences

271

(1)

Starting with the Basics

272

(8)

Using Fade effects

272

(1)

Using Zoom effects

273

(1)

Using Slide effects

273

(1)

Blurring an object

274

(2)

Repeating frames

276

(2)

Reverting the action

278

(2)

Organizing Authored Effects

280

(2)

Saving an effects file

280

(1)

Creating a custom effects folder

281

(1)

Using Authored Effects

282

(1)

Setting Authored Effect Options

283

(1)

Modifying an Effect's Motion

284

(2)

Changing Color and Transparency of an Effect

286

(2)

Using Easing to Modify Speed of an Effect

288

(1)

Transform Parameters used in Effects

289

(1)

Controlling How Objects Cascade

290

(2)

Simulating Camera Movement

292

(4)

Camera type

292

(2)

Camera rotation and zoom

294

(1)

Camera position

295

(1)

Target Focus

296

(1)

Coordinating Multiple Effects

296

(2)

Summary

298

(3)

Customizing Core Effects

301

(20)

Introducing the Core Effects

301

(1)

Squeeze Effects

302

(1)

Alternate Effects

303

(2)

Working with Snake Effects

305

(2)

Creating Explosions

307

(2)

Spinning Objects in Three Dimensions

309

(1)

Using a 3D Wave Effect

310

(1)

Creating a Vortex

311

(1)

Using the Wave Core Effect

312

(2)

Typing Text Effects

314

(2)

Authoring Effects

316

(4)

Setting values for custom variables

318

(1)

Adding formulas to fields

319

(1)

Modifying existing formulas

319

(1)

Summary

320

(1)

Part IV: Exploring SWiSHmax Objects

321

(46)

Creating Sprite and Instance Objects

323

(22)

What is a Sprite?

323

(1)

Creating a Sprite

324

(4)

Reverting sprite status

324

(1)

Grouping content as a sprite

324

(2)

Converting content to a sprite

326

(1)

Importing sprite content

326

(1)

Creating a blank sprite

327

(1)

Choosing Sprite Characteristics

328

(1)

Editing a Sprite

329

(5)

Editing on the Layout panel

329

(4)

Editing a sprite object

333

(1)

Working with a blank sprite

334

(1)

Using an Instance of a Sprite

334

(4)

Adding an instance from the Content panel

336

(1)

Swapping instances

336

(1)

Modifying an instance

337

(1)

Using sprite copies

337

(1)

Masking Objects Using Sprites

338

(2)

Using a Sprite as a Targeted Object

340

(1)

Understanding Hierarchical Names

341

(1)

_root

341

(1)

_parent

341

(1)

this

342

(1)

Summary

342

(3)

Building Buttons

345

(22)

Understanding Button Objects

345

(1)

Adding a Button to Your Project

346

(2)

Inserting a blank button

346

(1)

Grouping objects as a button

347

(1)

Converting objects to buttons

347

(1)

Editing button content

348

(1)

Defining Button States

348

(2)

Building Buttons

350

(7)

Working with button states

350

(3)

Transforming button content

353

(1)

Testing buttons

354

(1)

Working with text buttons

355

(1)

Using sprites in buttons

356

(1)

Tracking settings

357

(1)

Creating Button Menus

357

(2)

Using Disjointed Rollovers

359

(1)

Creating Button Events

360

(3)

Adding scripts to buttons

361

(1)

Choosing event triggers

361

(1)

Choosing a key trigger

362

(1)

Defining Button Actions

363

(3)

Summary

366

(1)

Part V: Adding Interactivity to a Movie

367

(64)

Writing Scripts in the Script Panel

369

(18)

Understanding SWiSHscript

369

(2)

Syntax Requirements

371

(2)

SWiSHscript rules

371

(1)

Keywords

372

(1)

Setting Script Panel Preferences

373

(1)

Saving a Debugging Log

374

(1)

Using the Script Panel

375

(3)

Guided mode scripting

376

(1)

Expert mode scripting

377

(1)

Testing Your Movie's Scripts

378

(7)

Debug panel information

379

(2)

Debugging using the Trace action

381

(1)

Writing a Trace action

382

(1)

Handling errors

383

(1)

Adding a comment

384

(1)

Summary

385

(2)

Understanding Events

387

(18)

Defining Script Objects

387

(5)

MovieClip properties

388

(3)

Object properties

391

(1)

Text Field Properties

392

(1)

Understanding Methods

393

(1)

Working with Pseudocode

394

(1)

How Event Handlers Work

395

(1)

Using Frame Events in Your Movie

396

(2)

Frame actions

398

(2)

Using Self Events in Your Movie

400

(1)

Using Button Events in Your Movie

401

(1)

Using Input Text Events in Your Movie

402

(1)

Working with Variables

403

(1)

Summary

404

(1)

Applying Actions to Control a Movie

405

(26)

Categorizing Actions

405

(1)

Writing Expressions

406

(1)

Accessing the Script Syntax Menu

407

(1)

Selecting Operators

407

(1)

Order of Operations

408

(1)

Movie Control Actions

409

(5)

Play and stop commands

409

(3)

Using load/unload level commands

412

(1)

Working with a variable as a Movie Control option

413

(1)

Controlling How a Movie Behaves

414

(2)

Working with Functions

416

(3)

Mouse Dragging Actions

419

(1)

Sprite Actions

420

(2)

Statements as Actions

422

(2)

Sound Actions

424

(1)

Browser/Network Actions

424

(3)

Load a Web page

424

(1)

Player and browser commands

425

(1)

Adding JavaScript

426

(1)

Sending e-mail

427

(1)

Understanding Physics Properties

427

(2)

Summary

429

(2)

Part VI: Distributing SWiSHmax Movies

431

(62)

Testing Movies and Preparing for Export

433

(22)

Testing Your Movie

433

(1)

Testing Checklist

434

(1)

Preparing for Archiving

435

(2)

Reading Reports

437

(3)

Optimizing Movies

440

(13)

Choosing efficient movie settings

440

(1)

Structuring the movie

441

(1)

Making decisions about text

442

(1)

Optimizing effects

443

(1)

Saving file size with audio compression

443

(1)

Compressing audio

444

(1)

Choosing preload options

444

(2)

Optimizing project images

446

(1)

Compressing images in SWiSHmax

447

(2)

Choosing export settings

449

(4)

Summary

453

(2)

Exporting SWiSHmax Movies

455

(22)

Choosing a SWF Version

456

(3)

Exporting a SWF movie

456

(1)

SWF export options

457

(2)

Selecting Script Export Options

459

(1)

Common script options

459

(1)

Script support for SWF4

460

(1)

Exporting HTML from SWiSHmax

460

(7)

Exporting Video

467

(5)

Setting movie dimensions

468

(1)

Compressing video

469

(2)

Checking a codec

471

(1)

Exporting a self-playing movie

472

(3)

Supplying information

473

(1)

Creating an autorun CD

474

(1)

Summary

475

(2)

Using SWiSHmax SWF Movies in Other Programs

477

(16)

Using SWiSHmax SWF Movies in Flash MX 2004

477

(1)

Importing a SWF movie into Flash MX 2004

478

(2)

Importing a SWF movie into the Flash library

478

(1)

Placing a SWF Movie into a Movie Clip

479

(1)

Using a loadMovie( ) action to control a SWF movie

480

(2)

Troubleshooting SWiSHmax movies Used in Flash

482

(1)

Using SWF movies in Dreamweaver

482

(2)

Using SWF movies in FrontPage

484

(2)

Embedding a SWF Movie in PowerPoint

486

(2)

Restarting a SWF movie in PowerPoint

488

(1)

Viewing SWF Movies in Acrobat

489

(1)

Summary

490

(3)

Part VII: Sample Projects

493

(96)

Building Menus

495

(10)

Creating a Simple Text Menu

495

(1)

Creating a Dynamic Menu Using a Sprite Method

496

(2)

Using an onRelease Event for Initiating Effects

498

(1)

Building Another Dynamic Menu

499

(1)

Enhancing the Menu

500

(2)

Applying a background

500

(1)

Changing the alpha values

501

(1)

Using a follower

501

(1)

Using the Flash Player

502

(1)

Summary

503

(2)

Welcome to Preloaders

505

(22)

Movie/Sprite Properties and Methods

505

(1)

Building a Simple Preloader

506

(3)

Adding the SWiSHscript

507

(1)

Adding a text effect to the preloader

508

(1)

Using an Event Handler in a Preloader

509

(1)

Making a Preloader Portable

509

(1)

Making Preloaders Accurate

510

(3)

Circular Preloader

513

(4)

Constructing the preloader's objects

513

(1)

Applying effects

514

(1)

Creating and masking a sprite

515

(1)

Adding the script

516

(1)

Preloading External Movies

517

(4)

Building the external movie loader

517

(1)

Scripting the external movie loader

518

(3)

Using External Loaders with Destination Sprites

521

(2)

Preloading a Number of External Movies

523

(2)

Summary

525

(2)

Constructing a Web Site Interface

527

(24)

Starting the Site

527

(2)

Constructing the Menu Bar and Buttons

529

(2)

Creating the button objects

529

(1)

Creating the button

530

(1)

Adding the remaining buttons

531

(1)

Using Hotspots

531

(2)

Configuring the News Scroll Feature

533

(4)

Creating an opening sequence

535

(2)

Scripting to load the text file

537

(1)

Constructing the Feature Section

537

(2)

Configuring the Content Window

539

(1)

Finishing the Header and Footer

539

(1)

Constructing a Preloader

540

(2)

Animating the Opening of the Movie

542

(1)

Adding Content and Navigation

542

(5)

Creating a content page

543

(1)

Scripting the content pages' navigation

543

(1)

Constructing the contact page

544

(2)

Working with PHP

546

(1)

Finishing the Site's Navigation

547

(2)

Summary

549

(2)

Constructing a Shopping Cart Using SWiSHmax and PHP

551

(16)

Constructing the Basic Movie

552

(1)

Creating the Product Sprites

552

(3)

Constructing buttons

553

(1)

Adding additional text

554

(1)

Scripting the Sprite

555

(3)

Writing a variable for the product1 sprite

555

(1)

Adding a calculation script

556

(1)

Testing the script

556

(1)

Adding scripts to buttons

557

(1)

Adding the Second Product

558

(1)

Calculating the Grand Total

559

(1)

Writing the PHP Script

560

(1)

Using a Final Sprite and Effects

561

(2)

Add labels and actions

562

(1)

Add effects

562

(1)

Programming the Submit Actions

563

(3)

Adding actions to the continue button

563

(1)

Add more text items

564

(1)

Configuring the submit button

564

(2)

Exporting the Finished Product

566

(1)

Summary

566

(1)

Building a SWiSHmax Image Gallery

567

(10)

Preparing the Images

567

(1)

Starting the Project

568

(2)

Importing and arranging thumbnails

568

(1)

Creating a sprite

569

(1)

Masking the Sprite

570

(1)

Scripting the Scroller

571

(2)

Constructing the Image Loader

573

(2)

Finishing the Image Scroller Movie

575

(1)

Summary

576

(1)

Building a Daily Horoscope in SWiSHmax

577

(12)

Writing the Text File

577

(1)

Creating a Container Sprite

578

(1)

Setting up the Dynamic Text Field

578

(2)

Loading the Variables

580

(1)

Checking for Loaded Variables

581

(1)

Creating and Populating an Array

582

(3)

Displaying Random Array Entries

585

(2)

Setting Load Movie Preferences

587

(1)

Summary

588

(1)

Part VIII: Appendixes

589

(2)

Appendix A: About the Contributors

591

(4)

Appendix B: Web Sites of Interest

595

(6)

SWiSHmax-Centric Web sites

595

(1)

SWiSHmax Sites in Other Languages

596

(1)

Web-Related Sites

596

(1)

Movie Content

597

(1)

Fonts

597

(1)

Photos and Images

597

(1)

Sound

598

(1)

Mixed Content

598

(1)

Information and Standards

598

(3)

Appendix C: Menus, Toolbars, and Keyboard Accelerators

601

(22)

Appendix D: SWiSHmax Effects

623

(54)

Index

677

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